{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/53.1-228.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/53.1-228.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/53.1-228.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/53.1-228.html"}],"law_id":367699,"edition_id":2,"section_id":367699,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-228","catch_line":"Disposal of unclaimed personal property of prisoner","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 53-312.1; 1956, c. 344; 1981, c. 497; 1982, c. 636; 2010, c. 124.","full_text":"If any prisoner in a state, local or community correctional facility, upon being transferred to another facility, leaves personal property valued at less than $100 in the custody of such facility for 30 days after his transfer without making a claim therefor, or if any prisoner, upon being released or having escaped, leaves such property at the time of his release or escape, the Director or the sheriff, as the case may be, may sell such property at public sale or may otherwise dispose of the property. The proceeds of such sale shall escheat to the Commonwealth and shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Literary Fund.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1368763,"text":"If any prisoner in a state, local or community correctional facility, upon being transferred to another facility, leaves personal property valued at less than $100 in the custody of such facility for 30 days after his transfer without making a claim therefor, or if any prisoner, upon being released or having escaped, leaves such property at the time of his release or escape, the Director or the sheriff, as the case may be, may sell such property at public sale or may otherwise dispose of the property. The proceeds of such sale shall escheat to the Commonwealth and shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Literary Fund.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52415,"edition_id":2,"name":"Estates of Prisoners","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":11,"parent_id":52379,"metadata":{"child_laws":9,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:58:31","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:51","permalink":{"id":1464759,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52415,"identifier":"11","token":"53.1\/11","url":"\/53.1\/11\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52379,"edition_id":2,"name":"Prisons and Other Methods of Correction","identifier":"53.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":117,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":402,"child_structures":56},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:58:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:44","permalink":{"id":1464593,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52379,"identifier":"53.1","token":"53.1","url":"\/53.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":367691,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-221","catch_line":"Appointment of committee; bond","url":"\/53.1-221\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-221","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Ronnie Eugene Tucker v. Donna S. Wimer","case_number":"1375033","citation":"42 Va. App. 42","date":"2003-12-23","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1064028\/ronnie-eugene-tucker-v-donna-s-wimer\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. BUMGARDNER, Judge. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"},"1":{"name":"Ruffin v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record No. 0490-88-2","citation":"393 S.E.2d 425","date":"1990-06-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1242749\/ruffin-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 393 S.E.2d 425 (1990) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Cook v. Radford Community Hospital, Inc.","case_number":"Record 992710","citation":"536 S.E.2d 906","date":"2000-11-03","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1059560\/cook-v-radford-community-hospital-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 536 S.E.2d 906 (2000) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":" .\u202f.\u202f. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Virginia Department of Corrections v. .\u202f.\u202f. ","case_number":"Record 991079","citation":"529 S.E.2d 96","date":"2000-04-21","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1059627\/commonwealth-ex-rel-virginia-department-of-corrections-v-brown\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 529 S.E.2d 96 (2000) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"},"4":{"name":"Graham v. Commonwealth","case_number":"No. 1402-92-4","citation":"18 Va. App. 303","date":"1994-05-03","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/6932724\/graham-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Benton, J., .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"},"5":{"name":"Armstrong v. Commonwealth","case_number":"1388993","citation":"549 S.E.2d 641","date":"2001-07-31","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1064969\/armstrong-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. UPON A REHEARING EN BANC .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"},"6":{"name":"Morris v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record 831438","citation":"321 S.E.2d 633","date":"1984-10-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1200528\/morris-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 321 S.E.2d 633 (1984) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":367692,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-222","catch_line":"Powers and liabilities of committee; prosecution and defense of suits to which prisoner is party","url":"\/53.1-222\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-222","metadata":false},{"id":367693,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-223","catch_line":"Restriction on suits against prisoners","url":"\/53.1-223\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-223","metadata":false},{"id":367694,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-224","catch_line":"Maintenance of prisoner's family; spouse's portion","url":"\/53.1-224\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-224","metadata":false},{"id":367695,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-225","catch_line":"Accounting and motion for discharge when prisoner released; delivery of estate to prisoner","url":"\/53.1-225\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-225","metadata":false},{"id":367696,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-226","catch_line":"When estate committed to sheriff","url":"\/53.1-226\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-226","metadata":false},{"id":367697,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-227","catch_line":"When and how real estate of prisoner sold or encumbered","url":"\/53.1-227\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-227","metadata":false},{"id":367699,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-228","catch_line":"Disposal of unclaimed personal property of prisoner","url":"\/53.1-228\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-228","metadata":false},{"id":367698,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-228.1","catch_line":"Inmate payment for damaged property","url":"\/53.1-228.1\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-228.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":367697,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-227","catch_line":"When and how real estate of prisoner sold or encumbered","url":"\/53.1-227\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-227","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":367698,"structure_id":52415,"section_number":"53.1-228.1","catch_line":"Inmate payment for damaged property","url":"\/53.1-228.1\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-228.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/53.1-228\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1956, chapter 344; in 1981, chapter 497; in 1982, chapter 636; in 2010, chapter 124<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1464789,"object_type":"law","relational_id":367699,"identifier":"53.1-228","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-228","url":"\/53.1-228\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/53.1-228\/","token":"53.1\/11\/53.1-228","dublin_core":{"Title":"Disposal of unclaimed personal property of prisoner","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 53.1-228","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any prisoner in a state, local or community correctional facility<\/span>, upon being transferred to another facility, leaves personal property valued at less than $100 in the custody<\/span> of such facility for 30 days after his transfer without making a claim therefor, or if any prisoner, upon being released or having escaped, leaves such property at the time of his release or escape, the Director<\/span> or the sheriff, as the case may be, may sell such property at public sale or may otherwise dispose of the property. The proceeds of such sale shall escheat to the Commonwealth and shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Literary Fund.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISPOSAL OF UNCLAIMED PERSONAL PROPERTY OF PRISONER (\u00a7 53.1-228)\n\nIf any prisoner in a state, local or community correctional facility, upon being\ntransferred to another facility, leaves personal property valued at less than\n$100 in the custody of such facility for 30 days after his transfer without\nmaking a claim therefor, or if any prisoner, upon being released or having\nescaped, leaves such property at the time of his release or escape, the Director\nor the sheriff, as the case may be, may sell such property at public sale or may\notherwise dispose of the property. The proceeds of such sale shall escheat to\nthe Commonwealth and shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the\nLiterary Fund.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 53-312.1; 1956, c. 344; 1981, c. 497; 1982, c. 636; 2010,\nc. 124.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}